Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and computer-readable recording medium that receive a process request for performing a predetermined process from an apparatus

ABSTRACT

A system according to the present invention includes a first communication unit, a second communication unit, and an executing unit. The first communication unit is connected to a first network segment. The second communication unit is connected to a second network segment different from the first network segment, and receives a processing request, which requests to execute predetermined processing, from an apparatus via the second network segment and transmits the received processing request to the first communication unit. The executing unit executes the predetermined processing in response to the processing request received by the first communication unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/594,669, filed on Jan. 12, 2015, and is based upon and claims thebenefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-014820,filed in Japan on Jan. 29, 2014. The entire contents of each of aboveapplications are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing system, aninformation processing method, and a computer-readable recording medium.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, there is known a configuration of network equipment,such as an image forming apparatus, which has a means for connecting toa wired local area network (LAN) and a means for establishing a wirelessconnection to another apparatus through the use of Wi-Fi, etc. and iscapable of concurrently communicating with an apparatus (for example, asmart device) to be connected wirelessly through the use of Wi-Fi, etc.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-045308 hasdisclosed a configuration for establishing a wireless connection betweenan image processing apparatus and a mobile terminal device for thepurpose of operating the image processing apparatus from the mobileterminal device. The image processing apparatus disclosed in JapanesePatent Application Laid-open No. 2005-045308 includes an interface(hereinafter, may be written as “I/F”) for connecting to a LAN and anI/F for establishing a wireless connection to a mobile terminal device.

However, the configuration of the image processing apparatus disclosedin Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-045308, the I/F forconnecting to the LAN and the I/F for wireless connection are connectedto the same bus (the same network segment); therefore, there is aproblem that it is difficult to establish wireless communication(wireless communication using Wi-Fi, etc.) between another apparatus,such as a mobile terminal device, and the image processing apparatuswhile blocking communication between the another apparatus and a LAN.

Therefore, there is a need for wireless communication between anapparatus and a system while blocking communication between theapparatus and a network connected to the system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve theproblems in the conventional technology.

There is provided an information processing system that includes: afirst communication unit that is connected to a first network segment; asecond communication unit that is connected to a second network segmentdifferent from the first network segment, and receives a processingrequest, which requests to execute predetermined processing, from anapparatus via the second network segment and transmits the receivedprocessing request to the first communication unit; and an executingunit that executes the predetermined processing in response to theprocessing request received by the first communication unit.

The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical andindustrial significance of this invention will be better understood byreading the following detailed description of presently preferredembodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a functional configuration of aminimum unit of an MFP to which the present invention has been applied;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configurationof the MFP;

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of operation ofthe MFP;

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of operation ofthe MFP; and

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of operation ofthe MFP.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An exemplary embodiment of an information processing system, aninformation processing method, and a computer-readable recording mediumaccording to the present invention is explained in detail below withreference to accompanying drawings. There is described an example wherethe information processing system according to the present invention isapplied to a multifunction peripheral (MFP); however, the informationprocessing system is not limited to this. Incidentally, the MFP is adevice having at least two functions out of a print function, a copyfunction, a scanner function, and a facsimile function.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a functional configuration of aminimum unit of an MFP (an image forming apparatus) 100 to which thepresent invention has been applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the MFP 100includes a first communication unit 110, a second communication unit120, and an executing unit 130. The first communication unit 110 isconnected to a first network segment. In the present application, theterm “network segment” means a unit of area composing an identicalnetwork. For example, in a LAN, a network segment means an area dividedby a switching hub or a repeater hub. In an example shown in FIG. 1, thefirst network segment is a unit of area composing a LAN; however, thefirst network segment is not limited to this.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the first communication unit 110includes an inter-communication-unit connecting unit 111 and a firstcommunication connection unit 112. The inter-communication-unitconnecting unit 111 is a means for connecting to the secondcommunication unit 120. The first communication connection unit 112 is ameans for connecting to the first network segment. In the example shownin FIG. 1, the first communication connection unit 112 is connected to aterminal device 200, such as a PC and a company server, via the LAN.

The second communication unit 120 is connected to a second networksegment different from the first network segment. In this example, thesecond network segment is a unit of area where wireless communicationusing Wi-Fi, etc. is performed; however, the second network segment isnot limited to this. A second communication connection unit 122 isconnected to a portable wireless terminal device 300 carried by a uservia the second network segment. In this example, the wireless terminaldevice 300 can be considered to correspond to an “apparatus” in claims.

As shown in FIG. 1, the second communication unit 120 includes aninter-communication-unit connecting unit 121 and the secondcommunication connection unit 122. The inter-communication-unitconnecting unit 121 is a means for connecting to the first communicationunit 110. The second communication connection unit 122 is a means forconnecting to the second network segment. In the example shown in FIG.1, the second communication connection unit 122 is connected to thewireless terminal device 300 via the second network segment.

Although the details will be described later, the second communicationunit 120 receives a processing request, which requests to executepredetermined processing, from the wireless terminal device 300 via thesecond network segment, and transmits the received processing request tofirst communication unit 110. The executing unit 130 executes thepredetermined processing in response to the processing request receivedby the first communication unit 110.

Subsequently, a concrete configuration of the MFP 100 is explained withFIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardwareconfiguration of the MFP 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the MFP 100 includesan image-formation control unit 10 and an operation control unit 20. Theimage-formation control unit 10 can perform print processing and scanprocessing, etc. The operation control unit 20 receives a processingrequest (a print request to execute print processing or a scan requestto execute scan processing) from the wireless terminal device 300. Here,the image-formation control unit 10 corresponds to the firstcommunication unit 110 shown in FIG. 1, and operation control unit 20corresponds to the second communication unit 120 shown in FIG. 1. Theimage-formation control unit 10 and the operation control unit 20 areconnected so that they can communicate with each other via a dedicatedcommunication path 30. As the communication path 30, for example, a pathbased on the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard can be used; however,the communication path 30 can be any types of paths based on otherstandards regardless of wired or wireless.

Subsequently, a hardware configuration of the image-formation controlunit 10 is explained. As shown in FIG. 2, the image-formation controlunit 10 includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, a LAN I/F 14, a readingunit 15, an image forming unit 16, and a USB I/F 17, and these areconnected to one another via a system bus 18.

The CPU 11 controls the operation of the image-formation control unit 10overall. The CPU 11 executes a program stored in ROM 12 by using the RAM13 as a work area, thereby controlling the operation of the entireimage-formation control unit 10.

The LAN I/F 14 is an interface for connecting to the first networksegment. In this example, the LAN I/F 14 can be considered to correspondto the first communication connection unit 112 shown in FIG. 1.

The reading unit 15 is hardware that performs general informationprocessing and processing other than communication to achieve scanprocessing (an image reading process) for reading an image from anoriginal. The image forming unit 16 is hardware that performs generalinformation processing and processing other than communication toachieve print processing for forming an image on a recording medium suchas a sheet of paper. In this example, the reading unit 15 and the imageforming unit 16 can be considered to correspond to the executing unit130 shown in FIG. 1. Here, the reading unit 15 and the image formingunit 16 are set up in the image-formation control unit 10 correspondingto the first communication unit 110, but the setup is not limited tothis; for example, the reading unit 15 and the image forming unit 16 canbe set up separately from the image-formation control unit 10 as shownin FIG. 1. In short, the executing unit 130 shown in FIG. 1 can be setup in the first communication unit 110, or can be set up separately fromthe first communication unit 110.

The USB I/F 17 is an interface for communicating with the operationcontrol unit 20 via the communication path 30. In this example, the USBI/F 17 can be considered to correspond to the inter-communication-unitconnecting unit 111 shown in FIG. 1.

Subsequently, a hardware configuration of the operation control unit 20is explained. As shown in FIG. 2, the operation control unit 20 includesa CPU 21, a ROM 22, a RAM 23, a USB I/F 24, a display unit 25, and awireless communication unit 26, and these are connected to one anothervia a system bus 27.

The CPU 21 controls the operation of the operation control unit 20overall. The CPU 21 executes a program stored in the ROM 22 by using theRAM 23 as a work area, thereby controlling the operation of the entireoperation control unit 20.

The USB I/F 24 is an interface for communicating with theimage-formation control unit 10 via the communication path 30. Thedisplay unit 25 displays a variety of information (for example,information according to a processing request received from the wirelessterminal device 300, information indicating the operating state of theMFP 100, and information indicating the setting state, etc.). In thisexample, the USB I/F 24 can be considered to correspond to theinter-communication-unit connecting unit 121 shown in FIG. 1.

The wireless communication unit 26 is an interface for communicatingwith the wireless terminal device 300 via second network segment. Inthis example, the wireless communication unit 26 can be considered tocorrespond to the second communication connection unit 122 shown in FIG.1.

In the present embodiment, to maintain the independence of functions,the image-formation control unit 10 and the operation control unit 20work on different operating systems independently of each other. Forexample, Linux™ can be used as software of an operating system forrunning the image-formation control unit 10, and Android′ can be used assoftware of an operating system for running the operation control unit20. However, the operating systems are not limited to these; forexample, the image-formation control unit 10 and the operation controlunit 20 can be configured to work on the same operating system.

As described above, present embodiment, the LAN I/F 14 for connecting toa network, such as a corporate LAN, is held in the image-formationcontrol unit 10, and the wireless communication unit 26 for establishinga wireless connection to the wireless terminal device 300 is held in theoperation control unit 20, thereby the setting of a default gateway of anetwork can be performed on each of the image-formation control unit 10and the operation control unit 20 individually. That is, it is possibleto perform communication between the wireless communication unit 26 andthe wireless terminal device 300 using Wi-Fi, etc. while blockingcommunication between the wireless terminal device 300 and a network (acorporate LAN, etc.) connected to the MFP 100.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the image-formation control unit10 and the operation control unit 20 are connected by the communicationmethod based on the USB standard, so communication between theimage-formation control unit 10 and the operation control unit 20 can beperformed by a method other than network communication (by serialcommunication, etc.), and therefore, there is no need to perform networksettings, such as a static routing.

Subsequently, with FIG. 3, there is explained an example of operationperformed when the MFP 100 has received a processing request to executeprint processing (in the following description, may be referred to as a“print request”) from the wireless terminal device 300 afterestablishment of communication connection between the wireless terminaldevice 300 and the MFP 100.

As shown in FIG. 3, first, the operation control unit 20 transmits asignal including identification information (for example, SSID) foridentifying the operation control unit 20 to the wireless terminaldevice 300 (Step S1). When having received this signal, the wirelessterminal device 300 sets up a password and then requests the operationcontrol unit 20 for wireless communication connection (Step S2). Uponreceipt of this request, the operation control unit 20 gives a reply ofpermission for wireless communication connection to the wirelessterminal device 300 (Step S3). Accordingly, wireless communicationconnection between the wireless terminal device 300 and the operationcontrol unit 20 is established. Contents of Steps S1 to S3 are identicalto a technique for performing publicly-known wireless communicationconnection, such as Wi-Fi Direct.

After Step S3, in accordance with an instruction (an operation) from auser, the wireless terminal device 300 transmits a processing request toexecute print processing (a print request) to the operation control unit20 (Step S4). This print request includes a command to execute printprocessing and image data to be printed (print data), etc. Next, theoperation control unit 20 transmits the print request received from thewireless terminal device 300 to the image-formation control unit 10(Step S5). Then, in response to the print request received from theoperation control unit 20, the image-formation control unit 10 (theimage forming unit 16) executes print processing (Step S6). Uponcompletion of the print processing, the image-formation control unit 10transmits a completion notification, which indicates completion of theprint processing, to the operation control unit 20 (Step S7), and theoperation control unit 20 transmits the completion notification receivedfrom the image-formation control unit 10 to the wireless terminal device300 (Step S8).

Subsequently, with FIG. 4, there is explained an example of operationperformed when the MFP 100 has received a processing request to executean image reading process for reading an image from an original (scanprocessing) (in the following description, may be referred to as a “scanrequest”) from the wireless terminal device 300 after establishment ofcommunication connection between the wireless terminal device 300 andthe MFP 100. Contents of processes at Steps S11 to S13 shown in FIG. 4are identical to those at Steps S1 to S3 shown in FIG. 3, so a detaileddescription of these steps is omitted.

After Step S13, in accordance with an instruction (an operation) from auser, the wireless terminal device 300 transmits a processing request toexecute scan processing (a scan request) to the operation control unit20 (Step S14). This scan request includes a command to execute scanprocessing and information indicating settings for the scan processing,etc. Next, the operation control unit 20 transmits the scan requestreceived from the wireless terminal device 300 to the image-formationcontrol unit 10 (Step S15). Then, in response to the scan requestreceived from the operation control unit 20, the image-formation controlunit 10 (the reading unit 15) executes scan processing (Step S16). Uponcompletion of the scan processing, the image-formation control unit 10transmits image information obtained through the scan processing (imageinformation read from an original) to the operation control unit 20(Step S17), and the operation control unit 20 transmits the imageinformation received from the image-formation control unit 10 to thewireless terminal device 300 (Step S18).

Incidentally, when the operation control unit 20 has received aprocessing request (in this example, a print request or a scan request)from the wireless terminal device 300 after establishment ofcommunication connection with the wireless terminal device 300, if theimage-formation control unit 10 (in this example, the reading unit 15 orthe image forming unit 16) is not in a fit state to executepredetermined processing (in this example, print processing or scanprocessing) according to the received processing request, the operationcontrol unit 20 can transfer the received processing request to theoperation control unit 20 of another MFP 1000 having the same functionsas the MFP 100.

As an example of this case, with FIG. 5, there is explained below anexample of operation performed when the MEP 100 (the operation controlunit 20) has received a print request from the wireless terminal device300 after establishment of communication connection between the wirelessterminal device 300 and the MFP 100. In the following explanation, theimage-formation control unit 10 and the operation control unit 20 thatthe MFP 100 has may be referred to as an “image-formation control unit10 a” and an “operation control unit 20 a”, and the image-formationcontrol unit 10 and the operation control unit 20 that another MFP 1000has may be referred to as an “image-formation control unit 10 b” and an“operation control unit 20 b”.

As shown in FIG. 5, first, the operation control unit 20 a of the MFP100 transmits a signal including identification information (forexample, SSID) for identifying the operation control unit 20 a to theoperation control unit 20 b of the MFP 1000 (Step S21). When havingreceived this signal, the operation control unit 20 b of the MFP 1000sets up a password and then requests the operation control unit 20 a forcommunication connection (Step S22). Upon receipt of this request, theoperation control unit 20 a gives a reply of permission forcommunication connection to the operation control unit 20 b of the MFP1000 (Step S23). Accordingly, the communication connection between theoperation control unit 20 a and the operation control unit 20 b isestablished. Contents of Steps S21 to S23 are identical to a techniquefor performing publicly-known wireless connection, such as Wi-Fi Direct.

Next, the operation control unit 20 a transmits a signal including theidentification information (for example, SSID) for identifying theoperation control unit 20 a to the wireless terminal device 300 (StepS24). When having received this signal, the wireless terminal device 300sets up a password and then requests the operation control unit 20 a forcommunication connection (Step S25). Upon receipt of this request, theoperation control unit 20 a gives a reply of permission forcommunication connection to the wireless terminal device 300 (Step S26).Accordingly, the communication connection between the wireless terminaldevice 300 and the operation control unit 20 a is established. Contentsof Steps S24 to S26 are identical to a technique for performingpublicly-known wireless connection, such as Wi-Fi Direct.

After Step S26, in accordance with an instruction (an operation) from auser, the wireless terminal device 300 transmits a print request to theoperation control unit 20 a (Step S27). When having received the printrequest from the wireless terminal device 300, the operation controlunit 20 a inquires of the image-formation control unit 10 a of the MFP100 whether the image forming unit 16 is in a fit state to execute printprocessing (Step S28). When having received this inquiry, theimage-formation control unit 10 a checks the current state of the imageforming unit 16, and transmits an answer signal, which indicates whetheror not the image forming unit 16 is in a fit state to execute printprocessing, to the operation control unit 20 a (Step S29). For example,when the image forming unit 16 is executing print processing accordingto another print request, it is difficult to execute print processingaccording to a new print request; therefore, in this case, an answersignal indicating that the image forming unit 16 is not in a fit stateto execute print processing is transmitted to the operation control unit20 a.

When having received the answer signal indicating that the image formingunit 16 is not in a fit state to execute print processing, the operationcontrol unit 20 a transmits the print request received from the wirelessterminal device 300 at Step S27 to the operation control unit 20 b ofthe MFP 1000 (Step S30). When having received this print request, theoperation control unit 20 b transmits the received print request to theimage-formation control unit 10 b of the MFP 1000 (Step S31). Forconvenience of explanation, the image forming unit 16 of the MFP 1000shall be in a fit state to execute print processing. Then, theimage-formation control unit 10 b (the image forming unit 16) executesprint processing according to the print request received from theoperation control unit 20 b (Step S32). Upon completion of the printprocessing, the image-formation control unit 10 b transmits a completionnotification, which indicates completion of the print processing, to theoperation control unit 20 b (Step S33), and the operation control unit20 b transmits the completion notification received from theimage-formation control unit 10 b to the operation control unit 20 a ofthe MFP 100 (Step S34). When having received this completionnotification, the operation control unit 20 a transmits the receivedcompletion notification to the wireless terminal device 300 (Step S35).

Incidentally, for example, as for an example of operation performed whenthe MFP 100 has received a scan request from the wireless terminaldevice 300 after establishment of communication connection betweenwireless terminal device 300 and the MFP 100, processing can beperformed in much the same way as in FIG. 5.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the LAN I/F 14 forconnecting to a network, such as a corporate LAN, is held in theimage-formation control unit 10, and the wireless communication unit 26for establishing a wireless connection to the wireless terminal device300 is held in the operation control unit 20, thereby the setting of adefault gateway of a network can be performed on each of theimage-formation control unit 10 and the operation control unit 20individually. That is, it is possible to perform communication betweenthe wireless communication unit 26 and the wireless terminal device 300using Wi-F etc. while blocking communication between the wirelessterminal device 300 and a network (a corporate LAN, etc.) connected tothe MFP 100.

Incidentally, in the above-described embodiment, there is described anexample where the first communication unit 110 shown in FIG. 1 and thesecond communication unit 120 shown in FIG. 1 are installed in the samedevice (in the above-described embodiment, the MFP 100); however, thisis not limited to the above-described embodiment, and, for example, thefirst communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120 canbe installed in different devices.

(Program)

A program executed by the MFP 100 according to the above-describedembodiment can be provided in a manner recorded on a computer-readablerecording medium, such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, adigital versatile disk (DVD), or a universal serial bus (USB) memory, inan installable or executable file format, or can be provided ordistributed via a network such as the Internet. Furthermore, variousprograms can be built into a ROM or like in advance to be provided.

According to the present invention, it is possible to perform wirelesscommunication between an apparatus and a system while blockingcommunication between the apparatus and a network connected to thesystem.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims arenot to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying allmodifications and alternative constructions that may occur to oneskilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein setforth.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an imageformation control device that includes a first central processing unit(CPU), a first connection device configured to connect to a firstnetwork segment, and at least one of an image forming device and areading device; and an operation control device that includes a secondCPU different from the first CPU, a second connection device configuredto wirelessly connect to a second network segment different from thefirst network segment, and a user interface to receive an operationinstruction to the image forming device or the reading device, whereinthe second CPU of the operation control device, which is part of theimage forming apparatus, receives a processing request including a printrequest or a scan request using the second network segment from awireless terminal device via the second connection device, and transmitsthe processing request to the image forming device or the readingdevice, the first CPU of the image formation control device causes theimage forming device or the reading device to execute processingaccording to the processing request, and the operation control device,which is part of the image forming apparatus, transmits the processingrequest to the image forming device or the reading device using thesecond network segment, without using the first network segment.
 2. Theimage forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imageformation control device and the operation control device are associatedwith different operating systems.
 3. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the first connection device is a localarea network (LAN) interface (I/F) that establishes a wired connectionwith a network, and the second connection device establishes a wirelessconnection with the wireless terminal device using Wi-Fi.
 4. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the imageformation control device and the operation control device individuallyperforms setting of a default gateway of a network.
 5. The image formingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image formation controldevice and the operation control device each includes a universal serialbus (USB) I/F different from the first connection device and the secondconnection device, and the operation control device transmits theprocessing request to the image forming device or the reading device byserial communication using a USB.
 6. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the processing request includes a printprocess.
 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, whereinafter establishment of communication connection with the wirelessterminal device, the operation control device is configured to receivethe processing request, which includes the print request or the scanrequest, to execute a print process or a scan process from the wirelessterminal device and transmit the received processing request to executethe print process or the scan process to the image formation controldevice or the reading device.
 8. The image forming apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein when the operation control device has received theprocessing request from the wireless terminal device after establishmentof communication connection with the wireless terminal device, and whenthe image formation control device is not in a fit state to execute theprocessing according to the received processing request, the operationcontrol device is configured to transfer the received processing requestto an operation control device of another image forming apparatus.
 9. Animage forming method for an image forming apparatus that includes animage formation control device that includes a first central processingunit (CPU), a first connection device configured to connect to a firstnetwork segment, and at least one of an image forming device and areading device, and includes an operation control device that includes asecond CPU different from the first CPU, a second connection deviceconfigured to wirelessly connect to a second network segment differentfrom the first network segment, and a user interface to receive anoperation instruction to the image forming device or the reading device,the image forming method comprising: receiving, by the second CPU of theoperation control device, which is part of the image forming apparatus,a processing request including a print request or a scan request usingthe second network segment from a wireless terminal device via thesecond connection device, and transmitting the processing request to theimage forming device or the reading device; causing, by the first CPU ofthe image formation control device, the image forming device or thereading device to execute processing according to the processingrequest; and transmitting, by the operation control device, which ispart of the image forming apparatus, the processing request to the imageforming device or the reading device using the second network segment,without using the first network segment.
 10. A non-transitorycomputer-readable recording medium that stores therein computerexecutable instructions that, when executed, cause an image formingapparatus to execute an image forming method, the image formingapparatus including an image formation control device that includes afirst central processing unit (CPU), a first connection deviceconfigured to connect to a first network segment, and at least one of animage forming device and a reading device, and including an operationcontrol device that includes a second CPU different from the first CPU,a second connection device configured to wirelessly connect to a secondnetwork segment different from the first network segment, and a userinterface to receive an operation instruction to the image formingdevice or the reading device, the image forming method comprising:receiving, by the second CPU of the operation control device, which ispart of the image forming apparatus, a processing request including aprint request or a scan request using the second network segment from awireless terminal device via the second connection device, andtransmitting the processing request to the image forming device or thereading device; causing, by the first CPU of the image formation controldevice, the image forming device or the reading device to executeprocessing according to the processing request; and transmitting, by theoperation control device, which is part of the image forming apparatus,the processing request to the image forming device or the reading deviceusing the second network segment, without using the first networksegment.